| Before 1970, larger business organizations generally | | | | project without having to be concerned with human |
| were systematically structured so that there were | | | | resource issues. |
| departments of employees in which a team of | | | | I have personally experienced this work environment |
| workers answered to a functional or line supervisor, | | | | and organizational structure finding it very satisfying. As |
| and these divisions were called silos. A matrix | | | | Project Manager, I successfully led the project team |
| organization is one in which an attempt has been | | | | with authority over project related tasks while not |
| made to successfully rearrange the structure in order | | | | having to be concerned with functions that were not |
| to instead create various workable teams for project | | | | project related. I did not have to devote time and |
| management. | | | | energy to performance reviews, employee contracts, |
| Categories of the matrix organizations come in several | | | | training needs, vacations, etc. These functions were |
| spectra. The goal and focus of each is to provide a | | | | managed by a staff manage allowing me to focus on |
| balance of power between manager's and their | | | | project priorities. |
| functional needs in particular. The three primary | | | | After staffing requirements are laid out by the project |
| matrices layer in three categories: The Weak Matrix, | | | | manager, the functional manager will provide resources |
| Strong Matrix, and Balanced Matrix organizational | | | | and training. Gantt Charts are used and resource plans |
| structure. This mini-treatise, will address the overall | | | | are developed to determine organization among the |
| benefits and drawbacks of the Strong Matrix | | | | individuals working on the project. Sometimes, it is |
| organizational structure in the article. | | | | necessary for staff to move to another project. This |
| Strong Matrix Organizational Structure | | | | will only happen after it is approved by the project |
| Because of the problems encountered in the silo | | | | manager. |
| structure, a strong matrix structure was put in place | | | | While project managers cooperate with functional |
| with the project managers being responsible for | | | | managers, the project manager is primarily responsible |
| supervising the workers. Responsibility for the | | | | for every detail related to the project. Hence, in this |
| administration of human resources was left in the | | | | matrix structure, the project manager has primary |
| hands of the line managers. Under this arrangement | | | | authority and responsibility. |
| the project manager can effectively manage the | | | | |